The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Hospitalman Apprentice First Class John Charles Batease (NSN: 6583649), United States Naval Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving as a Medical Corpsman, attached to the FIRST Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 14 September 1942. During the action south of the airfield on Guadalcanal, Hospital Apprentice First Class Batease served beyond the call of duty. At dawn, he moved over the hilltop into the former Raider Battalion area which was between the main lines of fire. Here he remained treating wounded as he found them and while performing this duty a mortar shell landed nearby, seriously wounding him. Hospital Apprentice First Class Batease was brought to “E” Medical Company where he was treated and evacuated. His gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service.